


Define 'Love'

by armethaumaturgy



Series: Define [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-09 15:25:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4354205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/armethaumaturgy/pseuds/armethaumaturgy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a smile still on his face, Zathrian nodded. Even though he’d been almost panicking a few minutes ago, Dorian’s presence was calming him down like nothing else could. He could even manage a stable tone of voice. “I... wanted to tell you that I like you.”</p><p>“Yes, well, everyone likes me. It’s a given.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Define 'Love'

Zathrian was so used to his face being a mask that a smile came easily when he met with Leliana in the halls. He hid the bottle of wine behind his back automatically.

“Zathrian? You should rest, tomorrow’s another war meeting,” she said, looking at him with a mix of concern and curiosity. It wasn’t frequently that Zathrian wandered around the Skyhold, after all.

“Don’t worry, I just need to talk to someone,” the Inquisitor assured her, offering one more smile before resuming his trek to the library.

Though the library was his best shot at finding the Tevinter mage, it was strangely deserted that night, the only person present being Solas. The elf didn’t even notice Zathrian peeking into the room, so lost he was in whatever book he was reading.

The redhead turned on his heels, walking back through the quiet halls. Most of people were already retired or spending the night at the tavern, so even his steps echoed slightly. It was unnatural, and slightly disturbing, if he was to be completely honest.

The wine bottle weighted heavily in his hand, reminding him of his goal. He bit his bottom lip, and all the worries started flooding back without anyone to stop them.

There was a big possibility that Dorian rejected him.

He passed by a window and stopped to look into it for a moment. His reflection stared back at him, tense and tired looking. He absently wondered if it was so obvious to anyone else who looked at him, too. He sighed.

He made up his mind a long time ago, back when he first felt the flutter of imaginary butterflies wreaking havoc inside his stomach after hearing Dorian laugh. He made it his personal quest to make Dorian laugh as much as he could, because when he did, Dorian’s eyes crinkled just right and he half closed them and his lips stretched so alluringly…

Zathrian found himself smiling unconsciously even at the memory.

The journey to Dorian’s chamber was also unbelievably short — he must’ve been deeply lost in his thoughts. An unsteady hand rose to knock on the door, the sound so loud that Zathrian cringed slightly.

“Yes?” echoed from within, the door opening a second later. Dorian smiled at him.

“Dorian,” Zathrian started uncertainly. He presented the bottle of wine. “I thought we could share this bottle together?”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Dorian showed him inside, obviously surprised, but also pleased. He pulled out a pair of wine glasses from a drawer in his vanity and placed them onto the table.

They seated themselves on the couch and Zathrian poured the wine for them. Its taste was sharp, the only way to describe it was blood. Zathrian deeply hoped that wasn’t the case, but with Tevinter, one could never be a hundred percent sure.

“Mm, tastes like home,” Dorian couldn’t help but say, sipping the wine with a small smirk.

“It’s imported from Tevinter,” Zathrian told him, enjoying the small moment of personal victory as Dorian turned to him with a surprised look, immediately grabbing the bottle and looking the label over.

“So it is. But you obviously didn’t get it just so we could share it, right?” Dorian’s eyes pierced Zathrian and made him squirm.

“Well, I wanted to talk to you. The wine is just a bonus, I guess,” he chuckled quietly.

Dorian flashed him a smile and Zathrian’s heart felt like it would stop. “A very good bonus, I must say. What did you want to talk about? About me, I hope.”

With a smile still on his face, Zathrian nodded. Even though he’d been almost panicking a few minutes ago, Dorian’s presence was calming him down like nothing else could. He could even manage a stable tone of voice. “I... wanted to tell you that I like you.”

“Yes, well, everyone likes me. It’s a given.”

“No, no, I mean… I like you.” Zathrian wasn’t sure he went about it the right way, wasn’t sure Dorian even knew what he was talking about.

“Oh, I knew that. Your attempts at flirtation pretty much gave it away. You have to work on that, though. Very unrefined,” Dorian said, like it wasn’t even a big deal.

In the silence that ensued, Zathrian worried his bottom lip between his teeth, brows drawn together as he looked anywhere and everywhere but at Dorian. So he knew all along…

Zathrian stood up, feeling tears welling in his eyes. “I’m sorry, I- I shouldn’t’ve come, I-” he stuttered, stubbornly blinking them back. Dorian’s hand reached out and pulled him back before he could take even one step.

“What’s the hurry, Inquisitor? You didn’t even finish your glass yet,” Dorian grinned, motioning to the glass, almost full, still sitting on the table. “Zathrian, I like you, too.”

Zathrian turned his wide, dark eyes to him and Dorian was momentarily lost in them, in the remnants of tears that threatened to spill over. Didn’t Zathrian know that already? Didn’t he notice his flirtation?

“Really?” Right then, he looked like a wild animal, cornered and ready to bolt at a second’s notice. It was a feeling Dorian knew all too well.

“Really. If you weren’t always so distracted by my dashing looks, you’d have noticed what I was telling you.”

Zathrian broke out into a giant grin, prettier and purer than anything Dorian had ever seen him don. “Can I...kiss you?” he asked, the barest trace of uncertainty still lingering in his voice.

Dorian leaned over, answering him with his lips instead of his voice. Zathrian’s lips were full and fit against Dorian’s perfectly. The Inquisitor made a confused noise, but he was kissing back soon, messily and like he didn’t even know what he was doing. It hit Dorian that it might’ve been Zathrian’s first kiss. He buried his hand into the red strands of his hair and gently nipped at the elf’s lips, licking the areas afterwards as Zathrian mewled into his mouth.

His heart swelled at the sounds and the utterly pleased expression on the other’s face and he knew immediately that this would end with much more than this.

**Author's Note:**

> For now, this is the final part. I just wanted to reimagine the beginning of their relationship, because (for me), it felt kinda awkward? Idk.


End file.
